The LilyJames Oneshot Collection
by LittleTeine
Summary: In chronological order from first written to last written. Newly edited with new content added and author commentary.
1. Introduction

I feel these Lily/James oneshots have become my signature pieces. They have helped me to greatly evolve as a writer, as you can see from comparing these to their first versions (still up).

The first one (_Fire to Match My Own_) started as the introduction for a bigger story, but like most of my larger pieces, I soon lost interest in it. The introduction was always the star chapter anyway, and got the best reviews. About six months later I removed its chapters and left up only the introduction, categorizing it as a oneshot.

Two months after _Fire to Match My Own_ re-debuted as a oneshot, I posted another Lily/James oneshot entitled _Four O'Clock in the Morning_. The reviews were more instant and positive than any of my other stories. I had found my niche.

I absolutely adore the characters of Lily and James because they are both such strong, impulsive people. Pure Gryffindor. They have such chemistry and such passion, even when they hate each other or the hate is one-sided. They are also especially fun to portray as I see Lily as being a very very stubborn person who will not admit her feelings until the last possible moment. Others telling her how James has matured or James himself trying to show her would contribute to her realization but Lily would not admit this until she figures it out one day (or night) by herself.

I identify greatly with Lily. James too, as we are both drama queens at times (loveable drama queens, but drama queens nonetheless). Because of this, most of these stories (in fact, almost all), are partially or wholly based off of events in my own life.

I hope you enjoy reading the cleaned up and refined versions of my beloved oneshots.

Enjoy!

Love,

LittleTeine


	2. Fire to Match My Own

**I didn't do much to this story, only a few minor word changes. This was my first Lily/James work, and oddly enough still one of my personal favorites as well as fans'. This is usually not the case with first writings which are normally banished to some dark dusty hole of shame ("oh my GOD, did I actually write that?!") in a few years as the writer matures.**

**I originally published this on August 11th, 2005, almost exactly two years ago. Intended only as the prologue for a larger Lily/James story, I added a few chapters to it but gradually lost interest. A couple months later I decided it was better on its own, and reclassified it as a oneshot. **

* * *

**_The First Oneshot_**

**_FIRE TO MATCH MY OWN: PUBLISHED AUGUST 11TH, 2005_**

_They say that a first impression is the most important. I once believed that the first impression was so important, it was the only impression. If I didn't like someone, I never would like them. If I liked someone, I wouldn't ever dislike them. End of story. _

I'd never really thought that people could change. I mean, a person is a person, right? And they're going to be that person as long as they live, yeah? So it was crazy to think that I, James Potter prankster extraordinaire, could ever change my wayward ways.

_If I had to name the worst first impression I had ever gotten, it would be one James Potter gave me. I hated him. And by Lily law, once I hated someone, I would always hate them. But I had forgotten one thing: I belonged to a world where people flew on broomsticks and changed into animals. And in this world, where the laws of physics were defied every secondt…Lily law didn't stand much of a chance, either._

What I didn't count on was actually changing myself. Me, James Potter. I was a ladies man, a trickster, and Quidditch star, among other things. I was going to stay youthful and careless forever, and that was that. It was James Potter code not to care, and not to change. But hell, in a world where things are changed with a wave of a wand, James Potter code didn't stand a fighting chance.

_James Potter somehow managed to, after years of being the main target of my enmity and being an immature nuisance in general, take my heart and turn my life topsy-turvy and his impression along with it._

Lily Evans somehow, after years of rejecting my advances, managed to initiate a transformation that changed me from the ladies man, careless trickster, and insufferable prat (as she so eloquently put it) into someone else. Someone who was thoughtful and sensitive, and all other traits I had erstwhile found despicably soft. And as for being a ladies man, I became a _lady's_ man. And that lady was Lily.

_Yes, I fell in love with James Potter._

Yes, I fell in love with Lily Evans.

_And you know what?_

We still are in love.


	3. Four O'Clock in the Morning

**I published this story on September 9th, 2006, a few months after it was originally written.**

**As mentioned in the introduction, many of these stories have elements carried over from my everyday life. This particular story is based off an idea I had (coincidentally, at four in the morning). I'm sure everyone is familiar with the effects of sleep deprivation. I had spent the whole night in front of my computer and, now not quite in my right mind and talking with a friend online, I concieved a scenario in my head not unlike the one Lily carries out in this story. Thinking of carrying out this plan made me laugh so hard, I knew it had to become a story.**

**And so, this story was born. **

**I have taken out some extraeneous word choices and rewritten a few things, mainly dialogue. There is lots of new dialogue in here (I am still not sure about the "ABORT ABORT!" part). I hope it doesn't take away from the story!**

**This story takes place in seventh year (as Lily and James are head boy and girl). I have another story up here about the fateful moment where they both realize their feelings. For Lily it's something like "Crap, when did THIS happen?" and for James it's more like "Wait, what? OH MY GOD!". I think this would be quite a humorous moment and may portray it again.**

**As I said in the introduction, I identify a lot with Lily, and so in this story she has some characteristics that I do, the most notable being arguing with herself (oh come on, you know we all do it). The deep red blushing at the worst moments and wrapping one's self in blankets upon waking up are two more. **

**However, unlike Lily, I am quite grumpy and groggy after I wake up. This trait (along with the bedhead) I gave to Sirius.**

* * *

**_The Second Oneshot_**

**_FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING: PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2006_**

Her heart was thumping so loudly she could barely hear her careful short raps against the door of the Head Boy's room. Pulling her hand away from the door she gazed at it for a moment, stark white against the darkness. Lily shivered slightly and tucked her quilt firmly around her shoulders.

The door was opened by what looked like a large black mop with eyes.

"Yeah?" Sirius Black muttered sleepily.

Lily sucked in a deep breathe and tossed her crimson ponytail over her shoulder. "I'd like to speak to James, please."

Sirius peered at her suspiciously around the door. "Why aren't you yelling at me for being in the Head's room? Huh? I bet this is a set-up," he continued. "I just bet Filch is hiding behind you or something, waiting to throw us in detention!"

"Sirius? Wha?"

Another mop appeared next to the first one, rubbing its eyes sleepily. "Oh, Lily," it said.

Lily felt her stomach drop to her knees. _Why am I doing this? This is the definite LAST TIME I ever do something I thought of at four in the morning._

"It's a set-up, James!" Sirius mumbled urgently. "Don't fall for it!"

"Go back to sleep," James said, pushing Sirius back into the room. He shut the door and looked at Lily for a few moments, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

Her hand twitched because he looked so sweet and vulnerable with his hair in more of a mess than it normally was, and she ached to fix it for him.

_Patience_, she thought firmly. _I know what I'm doing. Oh, wait, no I don't!_ The panic was rising now, but she squared her chin and pushed it back down into an uncomfortable knot in her stomach.

"Um…" She finally said, after much careful thought.

_Way to go. So articulate._

_It's four in the morning. Give me a break._

_It's your own fault you're up this early._

"Oh shut up," Lily said, slapping her forehead.

_Bloody hell. I just said that out loud._

James looked at her oddly. "Lily, are you sleepwalking? Come here." He wrapped an arm around her and she nearly swooned, giving in for the first time to the butterflies in her stomach.

"Yes, definitely sleepwalking," he said softly, steadying her.

He was half carrying her and half hugging her and it felt so nice and he looked so adorable when he was sleepy…

Lily wasn't quite sure how it happened but suddenly her face was moving towards James's.

_The lips, the lips! Not the…chin_.

Lily's lips spectacularly missed James's and instead, as she opened her mouth to say something, her teeth sunk into his chin.

_RUN!_

She squirmed out of James's arms and bolted for her door. There was a tugging between her shoulder blades as he grabbed the back of her quilt.

Suddenly Lily's feet were not on wood anymore, but tangled up in the quilt and she was not standing up anymore, but sprawled on her back with a very large squishy lump on top of her.

The lump shifted and propped itself up on its elbows. Suddenly she was looking into a pair of _very_ amused hazel eyes.

Lily felt the blood rush to her face as she desperately tried to find a piece of blanket to hide it in. All logic had fled at this point.

_Abort, abort! _she thought frantically. _Agent Evans, your mission is a failure. Preserve the remaining shreds of your dignity and GET OUT!_

Hands cupped her flaming cheeks gently and James Potter was _laughing_ at her.

"Shut up," she hissed fiercely. "I've never tried to do that before, alright?"

He bent down but he was grinning so widely that his teeth were brushing against Lily's lips and that _tickled_.

Lily began laughing. She was laughing because she was on the floor at four o'clock in the morning in the middle of winter with James Potter on top of her trying to kiss her because she had bitten his chin.

And then James was laughing and he slid off of her, still close enough that they were cheek-to-cheek. They were laughing so hard that they were crying with their faces pressed against each other so the tears rolled down and swirled together.

He raised his hand to her face and brushed her tears away with his thumb and suddenly his lips were against hers and _Oh my goodness,_ Lily thought, _this feels wonderful._


	4. The Last Breath I Have

**This was written and published on August 2, 2006. It has always interested me to think of what had happened on the night Voldermort killed James and Lily. **

**I chose to do this from Lily's PoV for three reasons. One, James dies first, so there is less of a story (cold, I know). Two, I emphasize mostly with Lily, so it is usually easier for me to write things in her PoV. And three, I wanted to work with the whole mother/child bond thing.**

**All dialogue after** _"Lily," James says softly, pushing his face against my hair. "Yes?" _**is completely canon, taken from the books where Harry has encounters with the dementors and relives the night of his parent's death.**

* * *

It frustrates me sitting in here and hiding. Some days I cannot take it, and tuck myself away in a corner of the house where I know James will not find me, and I cry.

I cannot stand this, the not knowing, the not helping, the just sitting while the only people that I love are out there fighting in my stead.

Harry always finds me, while I sit shaking with my knees curled up against my chest and tears trailing down my cheeks. I hear him coming, soft thumps as he crawls across the floor, and then a little head with James' messy black hair and my own fierce green eyes peeks around the corner.

"Mama?" he whispers. He has just learned to talk and his words are so garbled that only James and I can make out what he is saying. Harry crawls into my lap, and my body uncurls and folds itself around him as he pats my wet cheeks with his chubby baby hands.

It is Halloween tonight.

The sky is dark. James and I have just put Harry to bed. His first Jack-o-lantern lies on the kitchen table, candlelight flickering from within. James has carved broomsticks and snitches onto it for him, then charmed them to fly across the pumpkin's orange skin.

James is with me now, curled up on the small crimson couch in the living room. I still fit against him perfectly. With his chin tucked up gently against my head and his arm around my waist, I feel safe. I have not felt this way for a long time.

Since we learned the monster wanted our baby.

A fire crackles in our fireplace. The atmosphere in the little house is not so oppressive as it normally is. In fact if I close my eyes, for a second I can almost feel normal again.

"Lily," James says softly, pushing his face against my hair.

"Yes?"

Suddenly there is a scraping at the door, and we freeze.

Every fiber of my body knows what it is outside that door and coming for my baby, my darling Harry. My blood runs cold. James is already up off the couch, pulling his wand out of his robes.

"Lily, I love you," he says, looking at me desperately. In my mind I am thinking Oh James, James I love you so much, but I am still frozen on the couch in horror.

"Lily, take Harry and go!" James yells, breaking me out of my trance. Harry, yes, Harry. I need to save my baby. "It's him!" James yells again. "Go! Run! I'll hold him off –"

I stumble from the room as fast as I can on legs that can barely hold me, brain so numbed from terror I can barely think.

Harry is sleeping peacefully in his cot, soft golden light falling gently across his chubby face. My heart fills with fierce love for him, and I stand protectively in front of my son, reaching in my pocket for my wand.

My hand brushes fabric and emptiness. With a sick feeling in my stomach I realize my wand is downstairs, lying on the kitchen counter. My mind races. Closing my eyes I begin to wordlessly chant the incantations I know will save him if-

A laugh. I hear James's brave voice, and then a dull thud.

James is dead, James is dead, James is dead, and my eyes fill with tears as a dull feeling overwhelms me but suddenly the door bursts open and I am filled with a fighting, powerful strength. I narrow my eyes and glare at the familiar face in front of me.

The monster's slanted red eyes bore into my own and I see that he is enjoying this, he enjoyed killing my husband and he is going to enjoy killing me.

It is oddly quiet and it presses in around us, but I hold my ground. This is all so surreal it feels like an ordinary night except _he_ is here, again, and I am the only thing standing between the monster and the life of my son, and there is no James…

The monster laughs, then. It is high pitched and strikes terror into my heart, but I stand my ground. I will protect my baby boy with the last breath I have.

My mouth opens of its own accord, and suddenly I am speaking to the monster in a voice I never knew I had.

"Not Harry, please not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside you silly girl…stand aside now."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –" I am begging the monster, wanting so violently for him to kill me instead of my son.

The monster looks at me, his cold red eyes glinting in the dim nursery light. I catch a glimpse of Harry's face. He is awake now, just stirring from his sleep.

Oh I will die, I will do anything, just to save my son.

"Not Harry!" I yell desperately. "Please, have mercy…have mercy…" My voice breaks.

The monster laughs, and the sound sends chills running up and down my spine. He lifts his wand. I feel as though I am in a dream, everything is so slow and foggy.

I think I see green light but the floor is peeling away from me and I am falling somewhere, falling falling, everything fades…

Before I die, I feel something deep within me. I _know_.

I have saved my son.


End file.
